Tuesday, December 13, 2005

The Unfortunate Incident of the Tuno in the Lunch Box or The Lunch That Wasn't

Little shmoo has been begging me for three months for a can of Tuno from the health food store. I asked my friend Mike at the store, "Have you tried this?" "Yeah." "Is it good?" "Nope."With that glowing recommendation in mind, I put off buying it for as long as I could, but the shmoo finally wore me down and I bought a can.

The instructions said to use Tuno as you would tuna, so I mixed it with vegenaise and capers and put it on white bread. I packed it with tater tots & ketchup, green beans, and grapefruit segments.

After I took some pictures I still felt extremely doubtful, so I said, "I think you better take a bite of this now in case you don't like it." Shmoo took a bite and made a big nasty face. I took a bite and made an even bigger nasty face. The Tuno went in the trash and I slapped together a pb&j.

I thought about taking a new picture and forgetting this whole sorry incident, but instead decided to let it stand so I could ask all you Tuno lovers out there...where did I go wrong?

Verdict:0 stars for Tuno, with a tip o' the hat to peanut butter for always being there for me.

I used the canned Tuno for a yummy Tuno Casserole. I mixed up a vegan cream of celery soup (I don't like mushrooms) and used a Tuno Casserole recipe that I found online. It was really good and my omni boyfriend liked it as well. It was the recipe at this site.

Oh, I heard the stories about frozen tuno being better, too. Don't believe them! I bought some, and it was the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted...and I've had tuna before. If Shmoo has never had tuna, I can imagine that tuno would be a shock!

I love the frozen Tuno! I make a vegan tuno noodle casserole with it (shoestring potato chips on top and I make my own vegan version of mushroom soup), tuno sandwich salad filling with Veganaise, sweet pickle relish, etc. and a tuno pasta salad. The canned is pretty bad but the frozen is a whole different ballgame. I think Tuno should be given a chance, considering the consequences of eating real tuna.

I have a rare PMS craving for creamed 'Tuno' on toast (I've only had the canned) but I made sandwhiches once for my friend on her moving day (she had given me a can) and they were good. I put veganaise, chopped celery, green onion, fresh parsly, salt, pepper a dash o' garlic powder and lots of sweet pickle relish. Thats the trick, lots of relish. And fresh lettuce on the bread. The best mock tuna is if you steem a block of tempeh for 20 minutes, cool, crumble and add the above, very yummy! Also corsley chopped garbonzo's are good this way or the pulp from making carrot juce.

Hello! When I want a "tuna" or "chicken" style sandwich, I mash up chickpeas with a potato masher, and mix'em with vegenaise, mustard, relish, chopped green onions, parsley, and sometimes dill and/or finely chopped celery. It's pretty tasty. If I want the salad to be creamier, like egg salad, I puree the chickpeas in the food processor before adding the remaining ingredients. Hope this helps. :)

I prefer tempeh or chickpeas as "tuna" or "chicken" substitutes, but I did recently have a good tuno experience. This past weekend, in fact. One thing, do not evey try this out of the can. Even if you're curious. Just don't. I drained it pretty well (I remember doing this when I ate tuna as a kid) and I think this helps, then I added black pepper, vegenaise, chopped carrot, chopped celery, and thinly chopped spinach (I was out of parsley). I liked it, though I couldn't have it every day. It's a little salty.

I don't know about tuna salad, but I make fake chicken salad all the time with torn up Gardenburger flame grilled chik'n patties. I rinse them to get some of the grill seasonings off. I usually add Miracle Whip, boiled eggs, and sweet pickles, but you could add vegan mayo and maybe something else for texture in place of the eggs. Good stuff. My mom's chicken salad was one of only two things I missed upon going veggie.

Tuno scares me, I've never tried it. I recently made the Tofu Dill Salad sandwich from Vegan with a Vengance and it was awesome. Maybe a little more like egg salad though. I'm trying chick peas next time.

Shmoo is adorable! :) Good to know about the Tuno... we usually just make a tofu eggless salad if we are craving that sort of taste, but I'm curious about the chickpea suggestion! Will have to try it soon :)

Forgot to mention--I also love the chickpea salad. Definitely try this if you miss tuna/chicken salad. Just add in whatever you'd typically put in tuna salad. I use vegenaise, mustard, pickle relish, onion, celery, salt, and pepper. Curry powder is also a wonderful addition to chickpea salad.

another good tuna/chicken salad alternative is to use TVP granules or flakes. I buy them in bulk at my local health food store. Boil water, throw in the TVP. Add celery, relish, salt & pepper, veganaise. Delicious.

WOw, people are super-into tuno, or super-not into tuno... amazing the comments! I agree with bohemian mama = Tu NO! And as for Deb, you are right, it is just so wrong. So is a lot of "Fake Meat" because as the nutrition facts show, it is not nutritious. Shmoo is super-cute, I must say! Thank you for being open Jennifer and just leaving it as is, and REAL. I am still amazed by the comments here, and am I safe to assume you only threw out the sandwich and replaced it, as anonymous may have thought you tossed the whole lunch!

Not exactly a tuno lover here, but have tried it in a recipe and actually bought it and used it again. My omni(at the time)mother even thought it was alright. We used it in a macaroni saladmacaroni, vegan cheddar, veganaise, mustard (just a little) celery (minced), a little pepper and any other desired spices like onion flakes or salt seasoning

I had a tuno casserole once. I had owned the can for months before I made it. It scared me. But I liked the casserole. Lots of cheese substitute and peas and a crispy top. But I think the chickpea ideas sound better.

i haven't had it in a while but i used to make tuno sandwiches somewhat regularly a few years ago. i think the main trick is to get rid of all the jelly/liquid part. i used to mix it with corn, vegenaise and celery from what i can remember. now that i'm thinking about them, i think i'm going to make one tonight!

I can't stand the smell of fish - it makes me want to yuke. So many things that I didn't like as a child I've chalked up to just having been because it was a dead animal because as an adult I've tried the veg*n version of "X" and liked it. That is not the case with tuno. Tuno is just plain bad. Schmoo looks adorable:)

I have been using Worthington products since I can remember, being the avid vegetarian that I am. Tuno is the ONLY worthington product I can think of that even remotely tastes like what its substituting....wham, smoked turkey, etc don't taste like ham and turkey, but at least they taste good. HOWEVER, tuno tastes too much like fish to me, and smells like tuna, hence putting it on the x list as far as I'm concerned. That may have been why you didn't like it, since it tastes and smells so similar to fish.

I have bought two cans of tuno but haven't used it. I am going to go back and read the comments everyone else left. Thanks for posting this and for the great picture! I give the pic 2 thumbs up! Very cute!

The canned stuff is great, and the label on the can even says "dolphin AND tuna safe" on it! LOL! Gotta love that!

I don't understand all the negative responses here...

I buy a can of tuno every month or two as a TREAT! I either use it to make tuno salad sandwiches with veganaise, celery, carrots, and green onions, or I saute it with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices to make "fish" tacos with it. I love it! Maybe you need to drain it more? Also, from your photo it looks like maybe you added too much mayo? I only use about a tablespoon for the whole can. Maybe less.

I third (or is that fourth or fifth now?) the chickpea spread. I heard that using "black salt" (just a touch) gives it an eggy flavor, but I've always just mashed them with the potato masher and mixed in vegenaise, etc.

I used to love tuna straight out of the can, and Tuno definitely can't stand up to being eaten on its own, but it tasted fine to me in a casserole (though admittedly I've never had real tuna casserole). Oddly enough, this discussion has inspired me to try it in a sandwich. Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment...?

I love the canned tuno stuff, I think it even tastes better than the real thing ever did. You do have to squeeze all the moisture out of it (I always use the can lid). And I don't put a ton of Vegenaise on it, that could make it kinda slimy, it really isn't on it's own though. Then I just put in a little black pepper, some chopped celery and onion, and the ALL IMPORTANT NOT-SO SECRET INGREDIENT: top with pickle slices. It's SO much better that way.

For a 'mock tuna' sandwich, I pulse cooked chick peas in a food processor and treat them as the "tuna." Add all the dressing ingredients (vegenaise, etc.), and it's fantastic. Tuno Schmuno. This blows that weird-tasting product away every time.

i always use a variation of the aforementioned chickpea mock-tuna salad. pulse some chickpeas with some blanched almonds in the food processor (about a 1:1 ratio, dont blend too much or you'll end up with chickpea-almond butter!). mix with vegan mayo, a little mustard, scallions, sweet relish, celery, pepper, a little lemon juice, and some ground kelp for that fishy taste. dont be afraid to add a lot of kelp! and you can use firm tofu in place of the egg in "egg" salad. just crumble, add all the usual fixin's, and youre good to go! if you would like to, you can freeze the tofu beforehand and then press some of the water out for a firmer texture. if schmoo likes tomatoes, either one of these salads is great stuffed in a tomato. yum!

i'm one of those that don't hate, but don't love it either. the first time i bought it i made tuna salad with it. didn't like it much, but i love tuna casserole and miss it so i bought tuno again to try that out. i have heard that the frozen is better, but just went and got the canned again...haven't gotten to the tuno casserole yet...is there a company that makes vegan cream of mushroom soup?

Basic Cream Soup - CondensedMelt 3 Tbsp. vegan margarine in sauce pan. Blend in 3 Tbsp. flour and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook and stir until bubbly. Using wire whisk, stir in one cup of rice or soy milk, veggie stock, or combination. Cook just until smooth and thick. Makes slightly over 1 cup and is the same as a 10 oz. can of undiluted condensed soup.

I've never had Tuno. I buy my fake tuna from the Chinese Buddhist fake meat store in Oakland, CA. (www.layonna.com) It is delicious! We make it with Vegenaise, capers, black pepper, celery, and red onion.

there are way too many comments on here for me to read them all, so I hope none of this was re-posted...

did you drain the tuno first? make sure nearly every drop of oil is squeezed out of the can or else it will be extremely slimy and gross. Make sure to mash up the tuno really well with a fork so there aren't any chunky pieces. Or very few, at least. Also, nix the capers and instead put in garlic and onion powders, salt and pepper, and finely sliced celery if you wish, along with veganaise. Works for me!

worthingtons tuno is one of my favorite things in the whole of vegan mock meats. i work for peta and we have at least one potluck a month. every potluck people ask me to make "cheesy" tuno casserole, or tuno noodle salad. the trick is definatly to drain it well. i like to place the frozen tube (unwrapped)on paper towels in a bowl, and microwave it to thaw. then i wrap the paper towel around it to drain it some more. after that you can use it the same way you would you real tuna. also, try it with nayonaise or spectrum canola mayo instead of veganaise. for some reason, the veganaise turns watery when you mix it with tuno, so you need something more oil based. good luck, and your little shmoo is the most adorable little vegan i have ever laid eyes on!

i'm not the biggest fan of tuno either, and i gave it to my two adorable vegan CATS, once, and they loved it too, BUT... make sure it is not the kind that has ONION in it! onion is very bad for our fellow feline friends! it will make them ANEMIC!!! PLEASE, be careful what you feed your kitty! =)

Way late to the game, as I just discovered this blog, but chickpea "tuna" is awesome. I use the recipe in Vegan Planet and would eat it for lunch every day if I could. I grind up one can of chickpeas in the food processor and add chopped green onions and celery. Then I stir in veganaise, a little salt and pepper and eat. The recipe calls for a little kelp powder to make it taste fishy but I prefer it without. My dad likes to add a little curry powder.

Hi, I just commented on your 'today's' post about Tuno, but had to come back and read of your first experience. I grinned when I read what Mike at the health food store had to say! I can just picture him saying it, too! He was a former student of mine at KHS where I was the home ec teacher. As far as I can tell, he hasn't tried very many of the veg*n foods. . .as he is still quite happy with the carn*v kind! I'm always telling clerks at that store about the foods they sell. Usually they haven't tried them and they as me how I fix them! Sounds like they do that to you too. Very funny! But, I love the store. . .great people. Enjoy an awesome, sunny day! Spring is finally here!

Frozen Tuno Fan for at least 10 years - Love it! Hate canned Tuno! Not the same at all! I cannot believe they call it the same thing. 23 year vegetarian and frozen Tuno is right at the top of my list! If you need advice or ideas for use, b.abernathy@cox.net.

I tried tuno a while ago as well... blech! Instead, I've found this really great chickpea salad recipie that tastes exactly like tuna, even to my non-vegan mom.

Drain one can of chickpeas, and mash into smaller pieces. (I use this handy chopper my mom bought from Pampered Chef -- works wonders). Chop up some celery, and you can also add grapes to taste, if you'd like. Mix everything up, add spicy brown mustard to taste and a couple spoonfuls of veganaise. It's one of my favorite vegan recipes and has served faithfully in many a sack lunch. :)

I'm not a vegetarian. Just decided to incorporate more veggies/fruits into my diet after reading an Allen Carr book. I tried the chickpea version of "tuna" and it was great! The dill makes a huge difference. thx for the recipe, i'm done w/ "thermometer tuna". Lil' Shmoo, you have to try it!

I was so excited when my husband discovered Tuno and brought it home to me. The biggest thing I missed as a vegetarian was tuna sandwiches. I'm one of the few people on the planet (I guess) who actually loved Tuno - mixed it with lots of veganaise and sweet pickle relish. I'm very sad to hear that it's been discontinued. :(

My son and I have had the canned Tuno in the past and liked it. Once rinsed and drained it has a nice texture (no slime) and does not have that yucky 'fish' taste. I have not been able to find the canned stuff in my area for almost a year so I broke down and bought the frozen stuff. THAT was a disgusting experience. It had way more 'goo' and the 'fish' stench and taste actually caused me to vomit. Now, maybe I'm just that out of practise with meat, but frozen tuno could use a little more mock and a little less meat.

There is a way better alternative. The raw foodies got this one covered. A Moc tuna salad for wraps, sandwiched, on salads or with chips. Made by food proccessor, with Walnuts, Dules, Dill, Lemon and other things, this stuff rocks. A great recipe can be had for $1.00 at the recipe store here

tuno was discontinued. I think in some way it may be in the mind whether a person likes tuno or not, because the first time I tried it, i didn't like it. But I tried it again later, and have loved it ever since. It is a little too fishy, I have had a similar tuna at Sidney's Cafe in Fullerton that tasted more like albacore. I hope there is another veggie tuna that is distributed. Maybe the name "tuno" was not the best name, but I think it's a cute name.

Where can I find textured soy protein. I had the best gen tso chicken from whole foods. the kids went crazy over it. they claim its a out of town order. no one can say exactly from where. got the same story at gourmet vegan on south st.i live in philadelphia can anyone help me.

I love the frozen Tuno, never had the canned. I made mine with a bit of mayo and lots of chopped onions. I cant find it anywhere anymore. Being a vegetarian, I miss seafood most of all and that is the one vegetarian thing i cannot find anywhere.